Fluid pressure operated apparatus



April 23, 1940.

C. H. RIPPL FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 19s"! 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 COMPRESSED AIR sounzca F Ki- P 3nnentor (Ittorneg April 23, 1940. c, R|PP| 2,198,514

FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l'mventor (lttorneg April 23 1940.

C. H. RIPPL FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 m": V 58 :Hay nu; imnnnnnr M i g 5 Ii" I I I [I Gttorneg Alix Snnentor April 23, 1940. c, pp -2,198,514

FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hale FIG.

INVENTOR. Char/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID PRES SURE OPERATED APPARATUS Application October 8, 1937, Serial No. 187.638

13 Claims.

This invention relates to fluid pressure operated apparatus of the type in which a mechanism element is moved by fluid pressure through a cycle of controlled movements to operate and control another mechanism, for example, an electric switch.

While my invention may be applied to various uses, I'have illustrated and described it herein (as illustrative of such uses) as applied to the operation and control of an electric switch to control and time the initiation and duration and interruption, or initiation, duration, interruption, and frequency of electric welding current impulses.

It is among the objects of the invention:

To provide a fluid pressure operated apparatus by which a movable apparatus operating ele ment may be moved and its movement controlled in an improved manner;

To provide, in a fluid pressure operated apparatus, improved means to reciprocate a movable element and to time its rate of movement in one or both directions;

To provide, in a fluid pressure operated apu paratus, improved means to operate a movable element and to control the frequency at which one operation may follow another;

To provide an apparatus operated by fluid pressure from a fluid pressure source, and having '0 improved means to prevent successive operations until after interruption of the communication of the fluid pressure to the apparatus from the source;

To provide an apparatus operated by fluid pressure and having improved valve means to control the communication of fluid pressure to the apparatus and the interruption thereof;

To provide a fluid pressure operated apparatus comprising a pressure movable element and having improved means to adjustably control the rate of its movement;

To provide in a fluid pressure operated apparatus comprising a pressure movable element, improved means to eflfect a rapid initial movement of the element and a subsequent delayed in the art to which my invention appertains.

My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 is a view illustrating an embodiment of 5 my invention in connection with a source of fluid pressure, a welding apparatus, and an electric switch operated by the embodiment of my invention to control electric current impulses supplied to the welding apparatus; 10

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken from the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a view to an enlarged scale taken approximately from plane 3-3 of Fig. 1, with parts thereof in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with parts thereof in diflerent operative positions;

Fig. 5 is a view showing a part of Fig. 3 with parts thereof in other different operative positions:

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken from the plane 6-6 of Fig.3;

Fig. '7 is an elevational view of some of the parts of Fig. 3, which in that flgure are shown in section; g

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing in section parts which are shown in elevation in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken from the plane 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to a part of Fig. 3 but illustrating a modification;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to a part of Fig. 3 but showing another modification;

Figs. 12 and 13 are views illustrating modified forms of a cam element constituting a part of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1, I have shown at i a source of fluid pressure, which may be compressed air, with which communicates a conduit 2 connected to branch conduits 3-3, each of which supplies the fluid pressure to a welding device shown generally at 4, under the control of an operator's valve 5. When the valve 5 is depressed by the operator against a spring 6, fluid pressure is admitted from the conduit 3, by a duct 1, to the cylinder 8 of the welding device, and operates a piston 9 to move an electrode III to clamp work ii between the electrode) and a stationary electrode. l2 mounted upon the device.

The pressure in the duct 1 is. also communicated to a conduit l3, the pressure in this conduit being at first less than the source pressure due to the movement of the piston 9, and the pressure rising when the electrodes engage with a the work, to a value approximately that of the source, to operate a fluid pressure operable apparatus shown generally at I4.

The operation of the apparatus I4 rocks a shaft I5, and a pair of switch arms I8-I5 secured thereon. The arms carry movable contacts I II'I, which are thereby rocked into engagement with stationary contacts I8I8. when the contacts are thus engaged they close an electric circuit from supply wires I8-I8 to the primary 28 of a transformer, the secondary 2| of which is connected to the electrodes I2-I5 of each of the welding devices 44 and, if at the time the electrodes of the device are engaged with the work, welding current will flow therethrough to effect a weld in the work II.

By the apparatus indicated generally at I4, the shaft I5 is, after a time interval, released so that it rocks back in the other direction disengaging the contacts I! and I8 and breaking the welding current.

The construction of the welding devices 4-4 and of the switches including the shaft 5, arms I6--I6 and contacts I! and I8 is well known and constitutes no essential part of the present invention, the present invention relating more particularly to the apparatus indicated at I4.

For a more complete description of the welding device 4 and of the electric switch controlling the current thereto, reference may be had to my co-pending application, Serial Number 62,795, filed February 7, 1936, for Improvements in welding current control apparatus, and subject matter illustrated and described herein in connection therewith but not claimed herein is claimed in said co-pending application, to which attention is hereby directed.

The apparatus indicated generally at I4 will now be described in connection with Figs. 2 to 13 inclusive.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 to 9 inclusive, I have shown at 22 a panel or base upon which the apparatus, as well as the shaft I5 and the switches operated thereby, may be mounted. The said shaft I5 is mounted at one end in a bearing 26 (see Fig. 1) and the other end is mounted in a bearing 24 on a bracket I25 secured to the panel 22, and rigidly clamped to the shaft is the switch operating arm 25. The arm may be rigidly secured to the shaft by the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 8 comprising a clamping element I26 and notches 21 and 28 in the arm 25 and the clamping element, in which the shaft I5, on a square or polygonal portion thereof is clamped by bolts 2929.

The shaft I5 is therefore rocked in one direction, the direction to engage the contacts H with the contacts I8 by oscillatory movement of the arm 25 in one direction, the clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, which movement is given to the arm by the apparatus to be more fully described, and is rocked in the other direction by counter-clockwise oscillation of the arm 25 effected by a spring 30, abutting at opposite ends upon the arm 25 and upon the panel 22.

The arm 25 has secured thereto an inertia weight 3I, which may be adjusted longitudinally along the arm by a slot 32 in the weight and a screw 33 clamping it to the arm in any adjusted position along the slot; and the arm is stopped in its normal position by engagement of the inner end of the screw 33 with a block 34 on the panel 22.

The purposes of the inertia weight 3| are more fully set forth in the above referred to co-pending application.

A plunger 35 is vertically reclprocable in axially aligned bearing bores in the bracket I25, an upper bore 38 guiding the upper larger portion of the plunger and a lower bore 31 guiding a reduced diameter portion, which below the bore constitutes a piston rod 38 having on the lower end thereof a piston 38. The piston is reciprocable in a cylinder 48, mounted on the bracket by screwing the upper end thereof into a threaded bore 4| in the bracket.

The plunger is normally retained downwardly by a spring 42 abutting at its lower end upon the upper end of the plunger 35 and at its upper end abutting upon a head 43, mounted on the lower end of an adjusting screw 44, by which the tension of the spring may be adjusted, the

screw 44 being threaded into the upper end of an arm 45 secured to the bracket I25.

A valve housing 46 is mounted upon the lower end of the cylinder 48 by a barrel 41 which has a head 48 on its lower end and extends upwardly through a bore in the valve housing 45 and above the valve housing as at 49 is threaded into the cylinder 48 below the piston 38, thereby sealedly clamping the valve housing 45 upon the lower end of the cylinder 48.

A valve 58 is reciprocably mounted in a bore in the valve housing 45, preferably disposed with its axis parallel with the axis of the piston rod 38 on the plunger 35, and has a head 5|, normally resting upon the upper side of the valve housing 46, being held down by a spring 52, which abuts at its lower end upon the head 5| and at its upper end upon a bracket 53, the bracket 53 being secured to the bracket I25 preferably by clamping it between a shoulder on the cylinder 48 and the underside of the bracket I25.

A valve rod 54 is screw-threaded at its lower end into the upper end of the valve 50, passes upwardly through a perforation 55 in the bracket 53 to guide it, and above the bracket passes through an eye 56 which is rigidly secured to the plunger 35, preferably by being formed in the end of -a screw 51 which is threaded into the plunger.

On the upper end of the valve rod 54 is a stop 58 which may be adjusted along the valve rod by being preferably formed from a pair of locked nuts.

Upon admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder 40 under the piston 38 from the conduit I3 the plunger 35 will be moved upwardly thereby, and at a point in its upward stroke, the eye 56 will engage the stop 58 and move the valve longitudinally to cause it to exhaust the fluid pressure from the cylinder, whereupon the spring 42 will return the plunger 35 downwardly to its normal position. As it returns, its movement is cushioned by a restriction to the air exhaust. The valve is held in its upward position, in a man nor to be described, against the pressure of the spring 52, notwithstanding that the eye 56 upon the downward return of the plunger has been removed from the stop 58 thus maintaining the exhaust until the pressure in the-conduit I3 is relieved whereupon the valve will return downwardly; and the valve may be retarded in its downward movement whereby a time interval is introduced between successive admissions of air to the cylinder 40 and operations of the plunger 35. The rate of upward movement of the plunger 35 may be adjustably controlled by adjustment of the rate at which the fluid pressure is admitted to the cylinder 40. These features of operation and the means for performing them 53 is in its normal downward position, cut of! by the body of the valve 33, but the duct 33 communicates withan annular groove 32 in the body of the valve and the fluid pressure may therefore flow around the annular groove to I a duct 33, whence it flows past a. needle valve 34 (see Fig. 9) to a duct opening into an annular groove 33 in the above referred-to. barrel 41, the annular groove 33 communicating by one or more ducts 31 with a] duct 68 extending longitudinally through the barrel 3! and opening at its upper end into the I cylinder 43.

It is this communication of pressure from the conduit ii to the cylinder 40 which, as described above, moves the plunger 35 upwardly.

The rate of the upward movement of the plunger may be controlled by the needle valve 84, which variably restricts the flow of fluid under pressure from the duct 63 to the duct 65 and to the annular groove 66 as plainly shown in Fig. 9. r

The upward stroke of the plunger 35 is limited or stopped by the engagement of the upper end 69 of the piston 39 with a shoulder 10 on the bracket I25, and at or near the end of the stroke the eye 56 engages the stop 58 and moves the valve upwardly opening an exhaust to the cylinder 40 by way of the duct 38, and by one or more ducts 61, the annular groove 66, a duct H communicating with the annular groove 62 in the valve which is now in alignment with the duo. H, and around the groove 62 to a duct 12, and thence out to atmosphere through a port 13 (see Figs. 3 and 'l), the size of the port I3 being adjustable by a screw 14.

The upward movement of the valve 50 not only effects a controlled exhaust for the cylinder 40, but also, by the upward movement of the annular groove 62, cuts off the supply of fluid pressure from the conduit l3 to the cylinder.

The plunger 35 and piston 33 may now return as described, the downward movement being delayed or cushioned by the restricted port 13, but the .valve 50 is now held in its upper position by the following means. When the valve 50 is raised, a shoulder 15 on the valve moves upwardly beyond the inner end of the duct 5|, whereupon the fluid pressure is thereby communicated through the duct 6i, to a chamber 16, surrounding the lower end of the valve.

The valve is thus subjected at its lower end to the fluid pressure and is held up thereby. In a lower part of the chamber it is provided with a.

.pressllre escape duct I1 which discharges the pressure through a port 18 under the control of a needle valve 19. The pressure is supplied from button 5 (see Fig. 1) and allowing the spring 6 to move the valve in the well known manner, cutting off the fluid pressure from the conduit 3,

'. the pressure in the cylinder 16 gradually reduces by being exhausted from the port 18 until the spring 52 above the valve is sufllcient to overcome this pressure and move the valve downdetermined by the needle valve 13.

The upward stroke of the valve 5. may be limited by a ring I" on the lower end of the valve, engaging a suitable shoulder at the upper end of the chamber 13.

r The parts abovedescribed are shown in their normal position in Fig. 8, and in Fig. 4 are shown in the position which they occupy when the piston 33 has moved to thetop of its stroke and has moved the valve 53 to its upper position.

In some cases it will be desirable to insure that the plunger 35 will not move sluggishly but always with a predetermined velocity and to insure this, means may be provided as shown in a modification, of Fig. 10 to withhold the application of the fluid pressure to the cylinder 40 until the pressure has attained a suitable predetermined value. According to this modification the fluid pressure in'the conduit i3 is communicated to a duct 8i, the end of which is closed by a valve 82 seated against the end of the duct by a spring 33, the tension of which may be adjusted by a screw 34. The valve 82 reciprocates in a bore 35 with which communicates a duct 86 supplying pressure to the aforesaid duct 59.

When pressure in the conduit l3 has attained a suitable predetermined value, this pressure, communicated through the duct 8! to the valve 82, moves it against the tension of the spring 33 and the fluid pressure thereupon is communicated through the ducts 86, 59 and 53 to the cylinder 40 as above described.

In this modification also, the duct 11 opens directly into the atmosphere and is of restricted size not being controlled by a needle valve such as the valve 19 and therefore this form illustrates that such needle valve control is not in all cases necessary.

When the movement of the plunger is used to operate a switch as described, this arrangement will insure positive, uniform, completed movements of the plunger and when the switch times an electric current will insure that the current impulses will never be of greater than a predetermined maximum duration because the plunger will always start to move at the same minimum fluid pressure and will remain inert until such pressure is attained, and will not move at less than a predetermined minimum velocity.

Reciprocatory motion of the plunger 35 above described may be utilized to oscillate the arm 25 for the switch operating purpose above described, as follows. A cam 81 having an inclined cam face 88 is rigidly secured to the plunger 35, for example by bolts 89-89. when the plunger 35 moves upwardly and carries the cam 31 with it, the cam face 88 engages a roller ill! on the arm 25 and cammingly moves the roller on the arm to operate the arm. In the upward stroke of the plunger 35 the cam 81 moves the arm 25 to engage the contacts I! and i8 and then passes on beyond the roller 90. If the motion of the plunger 35 is rapid enough and the inertia of the weight 3| is correspondingly predetermined, the

arm may be given a kick which will cause the 1.

"cimfaeta IIandlltobeheldclosedbythelnertia as indicated in Pig. 4.

If the plurmer ll and cam 81 are returned quickly enolmh. the cam will be restored to its position under the roller 9. before the roller 90 has returned, but if the force of the spring II and Inertia of the wdght ii are so pre-arranged as to elect the return of arm IS in a very short time interval, they may be returned before the cam 81 returns, and insuch casesthe roller may be made so as to be rocked out of the path of the cam by the downward movement of the cam. Such movemmt is indicated in Fig. 5, the structure being shown in that figure in connection with Fig. 6. The roller II is mounted upon a supplemental arm II flvotedupona stud 92, the arm 9i normallybdng toengage astop 93 by a spring I carried by the stud 92. when the cam ll cum the roller I. rocks it out of the path of the cam. the spring M will again, with a snap movement, rock the arm I to podtion the roller OI for the next operation.

This illmtrated use of the fluid pressure operated apparatus of my invention, namely to momentarily close a switch by means of the cam constituting part oi my invention, is more completely dacribed in the above mentioned co-pcnding application to which reference may be had.

When the amaratus of my invention is used as dacribed to operate a welding current timing switch, the length of the current impulse may be adjmtahly varied by the needle valve Bl which adjusts the rate of movement of the plunger 35 and the rate of movement of the cam face 88 the roller 00. Cams having the cam faces I! of other shapes than the simple inclined plane of Figs. 3. 4 and 5 may be provided as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Such cams have faces provided with relatively fiat portions 95 by which the switch contacts may be quickly engaged, and relatively steep portions !696 upon which the roller ll may roll after the contacts have been e. holding them engaged. With such cams, the roller l. preferably rolls oil. the lower end of the cam face during the upward stroke of the plunger.

In some of the uses of my invention, for example in its illustrative use of operating a welding current switch, and particularly when relatively long time intervah and current impulses are desired, and the movement of the plunger 35 is greatly retarded to give such long times, it is desirable to eliminate the waste of time required by the slowly moving plunger to first engage the contacts, and this waste time may be eliminated by the modification shown in Fig. 11. In this form a second cylinder 91 is provided having a piston 98 therein connected to a piston rod 99 .1; upwardly through a bore I" in the bracket I25, and at its upper end terminating directly under the cam 81. A stop IOI preferably in the form of locked nuts determines the downward position ofthe piston 88, and a spring I02 holds thephtondown and tendstoreturn it downwardly.

A barrel Ill threaded into the lower end of the cylinder 01 has a head I on the lower end thereof, and'the valve housing It has an extension I05 therem clamped between the lower end of the cylinder .1 and the head I. The above described duct 83 has a branch duct IIS leading therefrom through an annular groove I" in the above described barrel ll communicating pressureintheccnduit litothegroove Ill.

Aduct lllconnecmthegroove Ill withan annular groove It! on the barrel III and one or more ducts Ill connect the groove II! with a central bore III in the barrel III which communicates with the cylinder 91 below the piston 08. In the operation of this form, when pressure is admitted to the conduit II, it fiows as above described for the first form to the duct 83 and thence without restriction is communicated by the system including the duct I. groove Il'l, duct I", groove I", ducts III and III to the cylinder 91 and immediately moves the piston It upwardly, causing the upper end of the piston rod 99 to engage the underside of the cam and move it upward causing-it to engage and move the roller 90 suiliciently to engage the switch contacts in the manner described for the first form.

The upward stroke of the piston 98 is limited by the engagement of a shoulder I It on the piston rod with a shoulder on the underside of the bracket I25, the extent of movement being such as to just suitably engage the switch contacts, and

engagement of the contacts is effected immediately, without delay.

Air is admitted to the cylinder 40 at the same time as to the cylinder 81. The upward movement of the cam 81 by the piston rod 99 of course raises the plunger 35 and the piston 39 and thereafter the movement of the cam I1 is taken over by the plunger 35 which moves upwardly at a retarded rate as described.

At or near the end of the stroke of the plunger 35, the valve, in this case H3, is raised. The cylinder 40 then exhausts by way of the ducts 68 and 61, groove 66, ducts II and i2 and port 13 as before, The cylinder 91 also exhausts by way of ducts III and III, groove I09, aduct Ill, an annular groove III, a duct II6, an annular groove I ll in the valve I I3 and an outlet duct I It.

Again the valve I I! may be held up by pressure in the valve chamber it until pressure in the conduit I3 is reduced, and by retarding the escape of pressure from the chamber ii the return of the valve H3 may be delayed.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a pair of welding guns 4-4 having each an operators valve 5; and have shown two apparatuses I4l4 and in the foregoing have described the operation of one apparatus II.

The two apparatuses may be identical and each plunger 35 may have a cam 81 and each cam may, upon movement of the plunger, operate the arm 25. If desired the cam faces of the cams may be different and the adjustment of the needle valves ll, 64 and I! as well as the tension of the spring 30 and inertia of the weight II may be diflerent so that the cycle of operations as well as the duration of the current impulse for one gun may differ from that for the other to adapt them to different kinds of welding work.

Subject matter illustrated and described herein but not claimed is being claimed either in my above mentioned co-pending application, Serial Number 62,795, or in my co-pending application Serial Number 123,357, filed February 1, 1937, for Improvements in time controls for pneumatically operated switches, now Patent No. 2,180,171 dated November 14, 1939.

My invention is not limited to the exact details illustrated and described. Changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of my invention without sacrificing its advantages and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising amovable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source oi! fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, an outlet from the chamber, a control valve operable by pressureeflected movement of the pressure movable element to open the outlet, and means to maintain the control valve in operated condition so long as the operable valve means is maintained operated.

2. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an-

element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, an outlet from the chamber, a control valve operable by a pressureeiIected movement of the pressure movable element to open the outlet, means for applying fluid pressure from the source under control of the operable valve means to hold the control valve in-operated condition until the operable valve means is restored, and means to then restore the control valve.

3. In a fluid pressure'actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an ele ment movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source 01' fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, a control valve biased to take up a normal flow position, a connection between the pressure movable element and the control valve to move it to an operated position to cut oil? fluid pressure to the chamber and to open an exhaust outlet from the chamber, and fluid pressure operated means to hold the control valve in operated position under control of the operable valve means.

4. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, a control valve, controlling the flow of pressure to and from the chamber, biased to take up a normal flow position, a connection between the pressure movable element and the control valve to move it to an operated position 'to cut of! fluid pressure to the chamber and to open an exhaust outlet from the chamber, a valve chamber, conduit means controlled by the control valve for communicating pressure to the valve chamber from the source upon operation of the control valve, and the control valve being held by the pressure in cut-off .position under control of the operable valve means.

5. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element. a source of fluidpressure, and conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means contrclling the conduit means to admit fluid pressure to the chamber, a control valve in the line of the conduit means having a normal position for admitting pressure to the chamber, a connection between the pressure movable element and the control valve to move it to operated position, an outlet conduit means from the pressure chamber normally closed by the control valve and opened upon movement thereof to operated position, a valve chamber communicating with the control valve, conduit means for communicating fluid pressure to the valve chamber upon movement of the valve to operated position, a restricted constantly open escape port from the valve chamber to effect holding of the control'valve in operated position by pressure so long as the operable valve means is maintained operated'and to permit the pressure to be relieved through the escape port to eflect restoring of the control valve when the operable valve means is restored.

6. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, an adjustable valve to adjustably vary the rate of fluid admission to the chamber to adiustably vary the velocity of movement of the fluid pressure movable element, a control valve controlling flow in the conduit means, an opening from the chamber, means rendering the control valve operable by a pressure-effected movement of the pressure movable element to open the outlet, and means to maintain the control valve in operated condition so long as the operable valve means is retained operated.

'7. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising armovable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element and biased to return to a normal position, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, an exhaust valve, means rendering the exhaust valve operable by a pressure-eflected movement of the pressure movable element to exhaust fluid pressure from the chamber to permit the pressure movable element to return to normal position independently of the operable valve means, an adjustable valve to adjust the rate of exhaust to retard the return of the pressure movable element, and means to maintain the'exhaust valve in operated condition so long as the operable valve means is retained operated,

8. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable ap-' ment oi the first pressure movable element, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with both chambers, valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid pressure to the chambers, means to adjustably restrict the rate of fluid admission to the flrst chamber to adjustably vary the velocity of the said"predetermined movement of its associated fluid pressure movable element ai'ter said substantially unretarded initial movement thereof, to adjustably vary the time during which the apparatus element is away from its normal position.

9. In a fluid pressure actuated apparatus, a fluid pressure chamber and a pressure movable element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber at different velocities commensurable with different fluid pressures in the chamber, an apparatus element movable from a normal position by movement of the pressure movable element, means causing the apparatus element to return to its normal position after a predetermined amount of movement of the pressure movable element, a source of rising fluid pressure, valve means and conduit means controlled thereby to effect communication of source fluid pressure to the chamber, automatic valve means responsive to said rising fluid pressure to control admission to the chamber to prevent admission except at pressures above a predetermined minimum to cause movement of the apparatus element to occur at velocities above a predetermined minimum to control the time during which the apparatus element is away from its normal position.

10. The apparatus described in claim 9 and in which the automatic valve means comprises a piston valve, covering a port of smaller diameter than the valve, and a quick port opening movement of the valve is effected by exposure of the full area of the piston valve to pressure as soon as the valve starts'to move in the port opening direction.

11. In a combination, a fluid pressure actuated machine comprising a machine operating fluid pressure chamber, a source of fluid pressure, operable valve means and conduit means controlled thereby to admit fluid pressure from the source to the machine chamber, the chamber being arranged to cause the pressure therein to rise and approach the source pressure, an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element controlling an operation of the machine, a device mensurable with different fluid pressures in the chamber, the apparatus element having a normal position, means by which the. movable element moves the apparatus element from its normal position and permits it to return thereto after a predetermined time commensurable with the velocity of pressure eflected movement 01 the movable element, conduit means to eflect communication of the rising fluid pressure of the machine chamber to the fluid pressure chamber, automatic valve means responding to said rising fluid pressure to control admission to the fluid pressure chamber to prevent admission except at pressures above a predetermined minimum to insure movement of the apparatus element at velocities above a predetermined minimum.

12. In a fluid pressure actuated device for operating an apparatus comprising a movable apparatus element, a fluid pressure chamber, an element movable by fluid pressure in the chamber for moving the apparatus element, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means communicating with the source and with the chamber, operable valve means controlling the conduit means to admit fluid to the chamber, a control valve operable by pressure-effected-movement of the movable element to move it to an operated position to cut off fluid pressure to the chamber and to open an exhaust outlet from the chamber and means to maintain the control valve in operated position as long as the operable valve means is maintained in operated condition.

13. .In a power operated apparatus, a movable apparatus element movable away from and back to a normal position, a first power movable element for moving the apparatus element from its normal position, means for causing the apparatus element to return to its normal position after a predetermined amount of movement of the flrst power movable element, a second power movable element movable to initiate substantially unretarded movement of the first power movable element, a source of power for moving both power movable elements, means to adjustably control the velocity of movement of the flrst power movable element after said substantially unretarded initial movement thereof to adjustably vary the time during which the apparatus element is away from its normal position.

CHARLES H. RIPPL. 

